On the Records: Inaugural Word Clouds

Texans heard from two familiar pols today: Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. We turned their prepared remarks into word clouds to help visualize the tone and rhetoric of their inaugural speeches at the Capitol.

Perry has a list of what legislators “must” do this session — remember it’s an honor to serve Texas, balance the budget without raising taxes, cut spending, protect the border and “plant the seeds of opportunity that bloom beyond our years.”

Dewhurst’s speech balances the themes of sacrifice and opportunity — “ it's the story of millions of Texans who have lived the American Dream in this state so abundant with opportunity — those who sacrifice, those who persevere, those who dust off their boots and get back up every time they get knocked down.”

Neither Perry nor Dewhurst forgets how Washington fits into the equation, or the importance of Texans. Check out the entirety of Perry and Dewhurst's speeches, as written, here and here.